Crown Prince Rudolf's Last Love (1956)

Movie
Original title	Crown Prince Rudolf's last love
Country of production	Austria
original language	German
Publishing year	1956
length	96 minutes
Age rating	FSK 16
Rod
Director	Rudolf Jugert
script	Erna Fentsch
production	Lux-Filmproduktion GmbH (Vienna) ; Sascha-Film Produktions GmbH (Vienna)
music	Willy Schmidt-Gentner
camera	Günther Anders
cut	Herma Sandtner
occupation
	Rudolf Prack : Crown Prince Rudolf ; Christiane Hörbiger-Wessely : Mary Vetsera ; Winnie Markus : Countess Larisch ; Lil Dagover : Empress Elisabeth ; Erik Frey : Emperor Franz Joseph ; Attila Hörbiger : Josef Bratfisch ; Adrienne Gessner : Baroness Vetsera ; Grete Zimmer : Crown Princess Stephanie ; Walther Reyer : Archduke Johann Salvator ; Karl Ehmann : Johann Loschek ; Karl Schwetter : Stockau; Otto Woegerer : Krauss, police chief ;

Crown Prince Rudolf's Last Love , alternatively Mayerling and Mayerling: Crown Prince Rudolf's Last Love , is an Austrian historical film from 1956.

action

The film begins with the magnificent and solemn funeral of Crown Prince Rudolf in 1889. However, looking back at his life reveals an icy climate at the imperial court. The Kaiser has every step of the Crown Prince monitored, who in turn has long since become estranged from his wife Stephanie . However, Rudolf is afraid to overthrow his father together with Archduke Johann Salvator and the Hungarians.

Since making Rudolf's cousin Countess Larisch him with the daughter of her friend Helene von Vetsera , Mary of Vetsera known, and the naive young girl brings once more life into the frozen world of the Crown Prince. He wants to marry her, but his request to the Pope to dissolve his marriage is not heard.

Rudolf falls into depression and finally realizes the hopelessness of his existence. Accompanied by the loyal coachman Bratfisch and his lover, who agrees to follow him everywhere, he goes to Mayerling Castle . There, Bratfisch plays the zither to the silent couple. Then he moves away, and the lovers go to death together a little later.

additional

The film was shot from November 24, 1955 to January 28, 1956 at the original locations in Mayerling and Heiligenkreuz as well as in the Rosenhügel film studios. Crown Prince Rudolf's last love helped 17-year-old Christiane Hörbiger achieve her breakthrough. She had just started studying at the Max Reinhardt Seminar and, on the recommendation of cameraman Günther Anders, took on the role, although the seminarians were forbidden to take on a role during their studies. As a result, she was released after four weeks of classes.

She accepted that: “ I thought to myself , making films and dancing waltzes with Rudolf Prack , that's the job, that's how it belongs. “Her father, Attila Hörbiger , had learned to play the zither specifically for the role of Bratfisch . Lil Dagover played the role of Empress Elisabeth for the second time in this film . She was seen in the title role in the film Elisabeth von Österreich in 1931 .

It premiered on February 28, 1956 in Stuttgart , Universum.

Rudolf Prack , who played the 30-year-old Crown Prince Rudolf , was already 50 years old when the film was made and also three years older than Erik Frey , who portrayed Rudolf's father, Emperor Franz Joseph .

Reviews

"Staged in a restrained, painterly style that strives for mood, but weak in its motivation. Colportage in luxurious packaging." - Lexicon of international film

"(...) stylishly staged, homeland romance with gold rim." (Rating: 2 out of 4 possible stars = average) - Adolf Heinzlmeier and Berndt Schulz : 'Lexicon "Films on TV"

"Muted style, but inadequate, external representation, which is primarily aimed at the curious and aroused sympathy of the viewer. Uncritical drawing of adultery and suicide." - 6000 films, 1963

Web links

Individual evidence

↑ " We shot two months in the Rosenhügel studios ... " Georg Markus: The Hörbigers . Amalthea, Vienna, 2006, 2nd edition, p. 260, quoted by Christiane Hörbiger
^ Georg Markus: The Hörbigers . Amalthea, Vienna, 2006, 2nd edition, p. 261
^ Crown Prince Rudolf's last love. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .
^ Adolf Heinzlmeier, Berndt Schulz: Lexicon "Films on Television" (extended new edition). Rasch and Röhring, Hamburg 1990, ISBN 3-89136-392-3 , p. 472
↑ 6000 films. Critical notes from the cinema years 1945 to 1958 . Handbook V of the Catholic film criticism, 3rd edition, Verlag Haus Altenberg, Düsseldorf 1963, p. 247

[1] " We shot two months in the Rosenhügel studios ... " Georg Markus: The Hörbigers . Amalthea, Vienna, 2006, 2nd edition, p. 260, quoted by Christiane Hörbiger

[2] Georg Markus: The Hörbigers . Amalthea, Vienna, 2006, 2nd edition, p. 261

[3] Crown Prince Rudolf's last love. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .

[4] Adolf Heinzlmeier, Berndt Schulz: Lexicon "Films on Television" (extended new edition). Rasch and Röhring, Hamburg 1990, ISBN 3-89136-392-3 , p. 472

[5] 6000 films. Critical notes from the cinema years 1945 to 1958 . Handbook V of the Catholic film criticism, 3rd edition, Verlag Haus Altenberg, Düsseldorf 1963, p. 247